Lagos Gives Street Traders 72 Hours To Vacate Alaba Rago Corridor Ahead Of Enforcement Drive
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The Lagos State Government has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to street traders and illegal occupants operating along the Alaba Rago section of the Mile 2, Badagry Expressway, ahead of a major enforcement operation aimed at clearing highways, walkways, road medians, and setbacks in the area.
The planned exercise, to be carried out by the Lagos State Taskforce in collaboration with other enforcement agencies, forms part of ongoing efforts to enforce environmental regulations and the ban on street trading under the state’s environmental laws.
Authorities said the operation would target makeshift shops, illegal structures, unregulated trading activities, used plastic depots, mini brothels, indiscriminate waste disposal sites, and other environmental violations that have proliferated along the corridor.
According to the government, the Alaba Rago axis has become a source of concern for motorists, pedestrians, residents, and travellers entering Nigeria through the Seme border, with complaints centred on environmental degradation, security threats, and safety hazards.
The enforcement exercise is being coordinated by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources under the leadership of Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab and is intended to restore order and improve environmental conditions in the area.
Speaking during a public sensitisation campaign, Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, urged traders and other occupants of affected locations to vacate voluntarily within the stipulated period to avoid sanctions.
Akerele described the Alaba Rago corridor, situated along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway, also known as the ECOWAS Road, as a strategic route that could no longer be allowed to suffer from widespread environmental and regulatory violations.
“Lagos State cannot continue to overlook the scale of illegal activities and environmental hazards in this area. The situation is inconsistent with the vision of a modern megacity, and it is necessary to enforce the law and address these abnormalities,” he said.
The taskforce chairman added that the government had engaged stakeholders through consultations and public enlightenment programmes before moving to enforcement.
He noted that trading on highways, walkways, and road setbacks remained prohibited under state law, but said authorities had adopted a people-centred approach by giving affected individuals time to comply voluntarily.
“After this period, enforcement will commence against anyone who continues to violate the laws of the state,” Akerele said.
He warned that traders who fail to comply with the directive risk having their goods confiscated and could face prosecution upon the expiration of the 72-hour notice.
Akerele reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to maintaining environmental order, public safety, and security, in line with the administration’s THEMES Plus development agenda.
